In a process of sending a data packet, when being sent from a source node to a destination node, the data packet passes through different intermediate nodes or has different transmission paths. If in the process of sending the data packet, the data packet is split, so as to enable the data packet to be forwarded separately by using different intermediate nodes or flow through different transmission paths, data packet sending reliability may be effectively improved, and a data packet sending speed may be increased.
A currently used method is as follows: A data packet is divided in advance according to a known node condition or a known transmission path state, and then is forwarded by each node or sent through each transmission path. For example, after a source node determines a transmission path for each part of the data packet, or after intermediate nodes determine their respective to-be-sent parts of the data packet by means of negotiation, a process of sending the data packet is determined, and a data packet sent on each transmission path or a data packet sent by each intermediate node cannot be changed freely. Before the data packet is completely sent, if a channel state of a transmission path changes, or when a network condition of an intermediate node changes, an actual sending process of the data packet is inconsistent with a pre-estimated sending process, and a destination node cannot quickly receive each part of the data packet, which reduces data packet sending efficiency.